Handguns on horseback

[The Heretic]

I don't ride horses and I am certainly not a wrangler nor am I am around horses, but what he says about people, dogs and bears is true regardless of whether you deal with horses or not.

Read More

 

[CRBMoA]

^^^I rarely watch these 'one guy and a camera' info vids, but this is good!^^^

 

[Jonnyuma]

I worked on a ranch in AZ for a bit. My job mostly consisted of greenhorn labor, but we'd occasionally mount up to ride fences or find lost cattle.

I started carrying a .44 Super Blackhawk in a Hunter buscadero rig but pretty quickly learned that snakes and packed-up coyotes were the biggest threats (the coyotes more to the cows than the hands), along with the occasional poacher, illegal alien, or drug runner. The big single action .44 looked the part, but l switched over to a Colt MK lV 1911 (Series 80, feh) and a Heritage .22 revolver... some of the other hands were packing Glocks in various calibers. Most also had lever actions, but ARs were coming on strong at the time. I didn't have a suitable scabbard for a long gun so l didn't pack one.

 

[boattail]

I pack my S+W 9mm when I drive my pony cart out in the wild. We do a lot of trail driving as I built a narrow cart that can go just about anywhere. The 400 acre park by my house gets all sorts of things going on from dogs, bobcat, mountain lion, and two legged critters. The timber land that borders my mountain property has it all including bears. I carry as a last resort type of thing. If I ever pulled that trigger while in the cart the rodeo would be on.

I carry the 9mm for one reason only....it has a lanyard ring and I tie it to my belt so I won't lose the gun once the rodeo starts. Also having 15 rounds in the gun makes up a little for lack of power in the round.

For the most part the bobcat just lay low and let us walk right past. Idiots and their dogs off leash get me hollering at them to leash them up. When they ignore me I then turn the pony into the dogs and tell them the horse will kill the dog if they don't get them tied up.

My pony and the wife's horse have been around lots of loud noises and gunfire but they have never had a gun lit off on their backs. My gun with my horses are a last resort only. I only wish I had the time and place to train them for shooting off their backs or in the cart. It will never happen with my pony as he is an adults only, experienced only animal as he has a nut loose in his head that when rattled he becomes a two fisted handful.

 

[Mark W.]

On a side note. My Grandfather was pre war in the US Cavalry Troop B 2nd Cav at Fort Riley Kansas, And in his awards and such he got Expert for pistol Mounted but only Marksman for standing on his own two feet LOL how does that work. Was the horse actually part of the aiming process?

He also got a Saberswordsman Badge which looks like a Combat Infantry Badge but with a Silver Saber rather then a rifle on it. Stupid expensive if one can even be found due to the limited time frame they were issued and how small the Cavalry was at the time. So among Grandpa's medals and awards its the one I am missing.